Chapter 5: An Eye for An Eye is a Brotherly term

“Papa! Papa! Paaa…pp…a, can you hear me? If you can, wake up, please! I don’t like being alone… It’s scary and traumatizing being like this… makes me feel empty inside, and it hurts me… very deeply… So, please… WAKE UP!” Glitchiona’s voice echoed within my thoughts. I can physically see myself standing within an endless void seeking an exit, but there isn’t any in sight. “What is this?” I asked, darting to my right. “Where am I?” I wondered, snapping to my left. “How did this even happen?” I questioned as I stared endlessly into the empty space. “Don’t you remember?” Something said to me in the distance behind me. Out of instinct, I looked toward the direction I assumed the sound articulated from. “Remember what? I don’t remember anything… I don’t know you; I don’t know how I got here, I don’t even know what’s happening, and I don’t even know who I am!” I shouted. “Let me refresh your memory,” The voice answered as everything went pitch black, and hands came out of the void, reaching out to me and tightly grasping onto me. “Don’t be afraid,” The voice said calmly. “Just accept everything: that is about to come your way,” It continued. “WHAT IS THIS!” I screamed, forcibly trying to free myself. “Your future,” It answered.

Everything went blank. The place felt cold, my lips were partly dry, and I felt a bit lightheaded. “Am I dead, or am I dreaming again?” I asked myself. Opening my eyes, I saw a familiar ceiling pattern. “I remember this ceiling. I think I’m home in my living room or lying on the couch or the floor since it’s so cold,” I proclaim while slowly raising my right arm. “I’m covered in Universal bands? Wait, how?” I thought, gazing into the palm of my right arm. A swift fading image of Draco flashed within it before I recalled the fight between us vividly. “Now I remember, it was because of him… I didn’t even get to kill him… Dammit!” I uttered as I got into a sitting position. “Man… I feel like I haven’t moved my body in ages.”

Within the corner of my eye, a medium-height figure emerged from the doorway. As I turned to get a better picture of what I saw approaching me, I immediately realized it was a young girl, holding what seemed; to be a tray with food, water, and other medical supplies. “Glitchiona, or is that, Alice? But she wasn’t that short as I remember. Who could that be?” I pondered as I tried to focus my sight on their face.

As my sight became clear, I could see the person with their eyes locked on the ceiling. Is she trying to recall or think of something? “I already prepared the meals for the day, cleaned the house, and finished crafting these healing potions. So, everything is in order. I hope,” she muttered, standing firm with her head tilted sideways. “I do have the water, food, and healing potions; that should be all I need until another three hours or so,” she recited before taking another step, and our eyes locked. Her oval shaped green eyes widen with a bit of sparkle as they gaze deep into my eyes. Her head slightly shifted back before straightening her posture with her mouth slightly opened. To ensure her grasp of reality, she proceeded to tighten her grin onto the tray and kept squeezing. The water began to shake ever so slightly within the plastic bottle soon after the healing potions that were liquid soon followed afterward. “Hey, how long has it been?” I softly said as an unruffled grin came across my face.

A swift sniff of air from her nose, calmed her before tears flowed from her eyes and quickly ran down her cheeks onto the floor and some into the tray. “It’s been three years, Papa… glad to see you back,” She replied, trying to compose herself. “It’s been that long huh?” “Yes, it has - and now that you’re back, I’ll have to tell you everything that has happened while you were in that state,” she said as she placed the tray on the floor. “Isn’t there a table around here?” I asked. “Yes, but not in this room. I cleared out this room to take care of you only. I clean it every six hours and wipe or wash you down with the healing and stamina potions. While trying to wake you up during those times. I infused some of my energy into you to keep your physical shape intact,” She stated, wiping the remaining tears away. “You been taking care of me all this time? What about Alice or even Matrix or even S4. Jr?” “S4. Jr brought you here and took care of you for at least a year. After growing up or leveling up I should say. I searched for you secretly... I hid this from Mama because I don’t know if they would arrest you or kill you. So, I took it upon myself to help you recover over the years. S4. Jr brings me the materials and other stuff while I attend to you,” She relieved to me. “I still feel bad for not being able to see you reach to this, however, I need to get these bands off,” I said as I arose from the couch. During my rise, my knees gave out, Glitchiona quickly came to my aid: assisting me in standing when I stumbled. “Man, I feel like a big baby,” I implied. A soft giggle was given off as a smile came across her face. “Well, you’re my baby,” She chuckled. “Hey, leave that type of talk for your mother,” I replied while laughing.